Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-03-05
KIN Il
Solomon S Mines.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.

escape from O painful subject. 1T Is all very
well to be king by right divine. Ignosi but
how do you propose to be king indeedY'
NAY, l know not. Infadoos, hast thou
plan"
''lgnosi, son of the lightning" answered
his uncle. ''to-nighti is the great dance and
witch-hunt. Many win be smelled out and
perish, and in the hearts of many others
there will be grief and anguish and anger
against the king Twala. When the dance is
over, then will speak to some of the great
chiefs. who in turn, il can win them over,
shall speak to their regiments. | shaI speak
to the chiefs softly at first and bring them to
see that thou art indeed the king, and
think that by to-monOw's light thou shalt
have twenty thousand spears at thy COM
mand. And now must l 60 and think. and
make ready. After the dance is done will
if | am vet alive meet thee here, and we
will talk. At the best there will be war"
At this moment our conference was inter
rupted by the cry that messengers had come
from the king. Advancing to the door OF
the hut we ordered that they should be adj
mitted, and presently three men entered,
each bearing a shining shirt OF chain armor
and magnificent battle-aX.
''The gifts of my lord the king to the
white men from the stars!' exclaimed
herald who came with them
I'VE thank the king" answered, with
draw"
The men went, and we examined the ar
NOR with great interest. II was the most
beautiful chain-wOrk we had ever seen. A
whole coat fell together so closely that II
formed mass of links scarcely too big TO
be covered with both hands.
"Do you make these things in this country,
Infadoos?'' l asked; they are very beauti-
full"
"Nay, my lord, they come down to us
from our forefathers. We know not who
made them, and there are but few left
None but those of royal blood may wear
them They are magic-coats through which
no spear can pass. He who wears them is
well-nigh safe in the battle. The king is
well pleased or much afraid, or he would
not have sent them. Wear them tonight
my lords"
The rest of the day we spent quietly rest
ing and talking over the situation, which was
sufficiently exciting. at last the sun went
down, the thousand watch-ires glowed -,
and through the darkness we heard TMe
tramp of MANY feet and the clashng of hun
dreds of spear, as the regiments passed to
their appointed places to be ready for the
| great dance.
About ten the full moon came up in splen-
dor, and as we stood watching her ascent In
fadoos arrived, clad in full war toggery, and
4 accompanied by guard of twenty men to
escort US to the dance We had already. as
recommended, donned the shirts of chain
armor which the king had sent us, putting
them under our ordinary clothing, and find
ing, to our SURPRISE that they were neither
4 very heavy nor uncomfortable. These steel
shirts, which had evidently been made fol
men Of a very large stature, hung somewhat
loosely upon Good and myself. Then strap
ping our reyolvers round our waists, and
taking the battle-axes which the king had
sent with the armor in our hands, we
started.
On arriving at the great kraal, where we
/ had that morning been interviewed by the
king, we found that it was closely packed
with some twenty thousand men arranged
in regiments around it, The regiment;
were in turn divided into companies, anC
between each company was little path 10
allow free passage to the Witch-ilnders (
pass up and down. Anything more imposing
than the sight that was presented by this
vast and orderly cOncOuTSe of armed men i
was impossible to conceive. There they
stood perfectly silent, and the bright moon
light poured its light upon the forest OF thell
raised spears, upon their majestic forms
waving plumes, and the harmonious SHADING
of their various colored shields. Whereyel
we looked was line upon line of set face
surmounted by range upon range OF glitter
ing spears.
Surely" l said to Infadoos, 'the whole
army is here?'
, NAY, Macumazahn"' he answered, ''but
, third part of it. One-third present at thi
dance each year, another third part is must
cred outside in case there should be trOubl
r when killing begins, ten thousand more gar
! rison the 0utpostS round Loo, and the res
watch at the kraafS i'll the country. Tho
] seest it is a very great people"
{ They are very SILENT" said Good; and ir
! deed the intense stiffness among such vas
: concourse of living men Was almost Oyel
e powering.
h What says Bougwan?" asked Infadoos.
i translated.
: "Those over whom the shadow of Death
e lowering are SILENT" he answered, grimly
"Will many be killed."
NOIJ AIdI9s
ut seems" / said to the Others, that W
q are going to assist at gladiatorial show al
Y ranged regardless of expense"
Sir Henry shivered, and Good said that h
= wished we could get out of it.
e 'Tell me-" l asked lnfadoos. ''are we
n danger?"
! Il know not, my lords, trust not; but d
g not be afraid IT We live through the nigl
all may go well. The soldiers murmu
e against the king"
t. All this while we had been advancin
{ steadily toward the center of the open space
in the midst of which were placed SON
e stools. As we proceeded we perceived al
i other small party coming from the directio
o of the royal hut
at is the king, Twala, and Scragga, h
: son, and Gagool the old, and see, with thel
r are those who slay," and he pointed to
r little group of about dozen gigantic an
savage-looking men, armed with spears
one hand and clubs in the other.